Drier



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 R. R. MoRRlLl.

DRIER Filed Nov.29, 1922 alia,

July 5 1927.

YPatented `luly 5, 1927.

1 .U ED L y nidi-IARD REED' MoaRiLnoF Parlo `Antro, oALiroRNIA, AssiGNoR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- ,MEN'rs To ornvriaoiLf'aAsBuaNEa aivnrraoiius CQMPANY; or str. Louis' "fMIssoURI, A voo'R'roaii'rro'iv or DELAWARE.

y131mm.

- l Application filed November 29, 1922. Serial No. 603,959.

Further objectsoi' my invention are tok provide a drier ,of the class, described in which the heated air is eiiectively circulated aroundvthe material toY be dried and the moisture 'laden air is drawn back to the heating chamber or discharged tothe atmos pliere and in which the drying material can be cd through the drying Vrchamber in successive stages so that lsaid material is subjected to gradually 'increasing temperatures.

" Still "t'iirthcrobjects oit the invention are to providesiinple and durable drying trays which can be used'in the field for gathering the 'fruit or other' material and when lilled can be transported to thedrier and placed v`in the Idrying compartment, and toprovide means for supporting the traysin spaced relation with each other and'perinit of circulation of the heated air around each tray.

vIn the drawings,- yFigure 1 is 'a vertical section taken longitudinally through th'e drier.`

Figure 2 is a Vertical cross-section taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1.'

Figure 3 is a detail View of thepinne'r Wall oit the heating' compartment and showing means for regulating the' discharge ofthe air therefrom.

Figure 4 is a horizontal detail View taken on line Lima of Figure `1.

Figure 5 is a perspective detail view of one ofthe trays.

Figure 6 is a detail viewof one of the end walls of the housing, showing the manner in which the tray openings formedr in` said walls are closed.

Referring by numerals to the accompany ing drawings, `10`designates a housing or building in which is located a drying' cham-` ber 11. One end ot' this 'building extends downwardly below the. vlevel ofthe ground .into a pit 12 and forms a heatingcha'mber lll in which is located a suitable heating means 15 which may be of any` desired construction, and is preferablyof the oil-burner type. w l

Building y1() consists of atloor 16 which rests on "joists 17, the latter being arranged in transverse members 18. rl`he side wallsV 19 are provided with a layer of heat insulating material such as -cellular boards 20 and are provided with a` water-prooi' coveringr 21 which may be of rooting paper, tin,'or any other suitable material. v`T he roof 22 is Vsimilarly covered with a layer of heat insu- 4Vlating material 24; over which is placed a covering of waterproofing material 25. 'The end walls 26 and 27 'of building'l() are provided l withY a plurality olTk A,openings 28 through' which thefdrying' trays 29 can be inserted into or discharged from the heating chamber and these openings are adapted to beclosed by removableV plugs 30 Vduring the drying operations. End wall 26 extends downwardly 7intothe pit 12 and forms the outer wall of heating chamber 14. rlhis wall is covered with insulating material 31 and waterproofing coverf32.

1. 'The inner wall 340il the heating chamber extends downwardly from the floor 16 and terminates a suitable distancetrom the'lloor oi' the pit so 'as 'to provide 'air space through vwhichair maybe admitted from the pas- 'sagewayA formed in said pitto the heating means 15. Tall 34 isprovided With a door 35 through which vaccess may be had from the passageway A to the heating chamber 14. A partition wall or balll'e. is'located in heating chamber 14 and is spaced a suitable distance inwardly from the inner wall 34 to providei a passageway 37; The upper end ot battle 86 extends upwardly a's'hort distance beyond the lloor 16aiid the lower end of this wall terminates :oni-the saine plane with the heating means 15.v i

Projecting upwardly from the floor 16 at suitably spaced intervals are a plurality-ot uprights 38 which are arranged in a series of longitudinally disposed rows as shown in 'Figure 2f" Extending longitudinally through the housiiig'lOv and secured to uprights 38 are angle irons or supporting members 39 Eon the.' horizontal flanges of which are adapted'to be slidably positioned 'trays 29.' These angle irons'a're' spaced from' each other so tliat'when trays are placed in position, each tray is spaced a sullicient distance troni the adjacent trays. Each tray Q9 is provided with an apertured bottoni, as indicated at, Ella. The apertures may be t'orn'ied either by spacing the slats Storming the bottoni ot' the tray or by Lnovidingl the bottoni of the tray with suitable pcrforations.

The ends ot each tray are provided with alnitnient blocks or spacers l() which, when the trays are in position in the drier, abut the spacers oit the adjoining tray and space the contiguous end walls lfroln each other.

Tall 3d is provided at its upper end with a hinged portion il which is designed to be :nfljusted in any suitable nianner, such as a slide rod and linlc lil, and regulate the opening through which theair :nay be discharged 'troni the upper end ot the passage way 37 to the atmosphere.

ln using the drier, the trays containing the material to be dried are inserted in the drying chamber l1 through the openings torxned in the front end wall The length ol the trays is such that when the proper nuniber ot trays are placed in a horizontal row on the respective supporting ineans, there is a space left open between the discharging or rear end wall {it} and the respective ends ol? the adjacent trays7 so that the ends ot the trays are preferably in vertical alignment with the inner wall 3l. Thus the space in the drying chamber immediately' above the heating chaniber lil is lelt nnobstruetml. peru initting heated air to ascend and circulate, between the 'arious horizontal rowsl et the trays and around the latter. The heated air coming in contact with the Afruit or other material placed on the trays will absorb the moisture therefrom and descend into the lower portion of the drying chamber. The ascent oit the heated air creates suction in the heating chainber and causes the inoist air in the lower portion ot the building il() to be drawn through the passageway 3T and theretroni haelt into the heating chamber.

The upper portion ot' ehainber 'll between the top layer ol" trays Q9 and root .22 attords a chamber of proper dimensions for the equalization ol'l temperatures of the gases. This space in the drying chamber innnedialely above the heating ehaxnber l-l is lett unobstructed, thus permitting the heated air to ascend freely into the upper portion ol"` chainber ll above the top layer of trays 29 where said heated air travels along root *l2 throughout its entire length and `is torced downward by other hotter air coining up l'ron'i heating chamber l-l` thusl t'ornting a bank of heated air in the upper portion ol" chanibor ll. This bank olE heated air will vary i-1 temperature along root' but will eqnalivo in temperature as it is Al'orced downward r ntil the bottoni ot said bank ol' air inc inediately above the top layer ot' t'ays QQ is ol uni`or1.n temperature. The heated air ol' Lee/aseo nniilorin temperature will come in contact with the 'fruit on the top layer olf trays 29 and will give up its heat to the fruit, thereby driving out the moisture in said fruit. This moisture and air will mix and, due to its lower teinpe attire, will descend to a lower level and be replaced by hotter and drie'r air troni above. This process will continue downward through all ol the trays 29 until the cooler Inoisture-laden air reaches the cool air chamber, the cool air chamber being the lower portion olf chainber ll which is between the tloor lo and bottoni layer olf trays Q9. This cooler moisture-laden air is discharged in whole or part through discharge door Il or recireulated in whole or part, through passageway 3T, the proportion to be discharged or recirculated dependingr upon the humidity desired.

lVhen the material contained in the tray adjoining the wall 96 has been sntlieiently dried, a tray containing ilresh materials is inserted through the opening in wall 2T, there by displacing the trays arranged in this row so that the outer end ol" the first tray projects through the discharge end wall 26 and can be conveniently removed :from the drier and while the two remaining trays are advanced one step through the drier, the in terniediate tray occupying a position and adjacent to the discharge wall 26, the tray which formerly was adjoining the Wall 27 nov: occuliiies an intermediate position and the new tray containing the lresh material occupying the tront or loading end of the drier. ln this inanner the trays are fed in successive stages through the drier, the tray containing the lresh material being located in the loading end olt the drier, and then be ing inoved :t'tnwardly as new trays are introduced.

This drier can be operated by successive stages as explained above or it may be loaded wholly or in part troni either end and also discharged wholly or in part troni either end. This drier will operate successfully and dry the material uniformly at any given level. that is any layer ot trays regardless ol: whether the drier wholly loaded or only loaded in part., The tact that the heat is carried to the top ol chamber l1. and then brtnnrht dfnvnward enables us to dry uni iornily all truit on any given layer of trays. 'l'his layer ol" trays is renioved when the Afruit is dry and the space lett vacant and the dehydrator wholly unloaded by reniovilw successively each layer ol trays troni the top downward: but it it is desired, trays eon taining Fresh truit may be putin as soon as the tra;y with the dried fruit are removed.

ll'hat .l claitn is:

1. A heating s vstcin for driers consisting ot a drying chamber, material s'aupporting ineans arranged therein and spaced troni the top thercot to provide a inixing and teniperl In ing chamber in the'upper -end oit said drying chamber, a hotfair chamber communicating with one lend of said .drying chamber for introducing heated air into saidv mixing chamber, and exhaust.connections communicating with the lower portion of said drying 'chamber .for conveying from the lower portionl of said drying chamber the chilled. air. 2..A drier comprising a housing, the walls :of which are insulated, said housing having a drying chamber and a heating chamber 4communicating therewith, heating `means *arranged in said heating chamber, a series -of tray supporting members longitudinally disposed in said drying chamber and spaced fi'romfthe' top of. said drying chamber to providean air mixing and tempering space, a plurality oli trays kadapted to beremovably arrangedon said supporting members, pas sageways in said housing for vexhausting the chi-lledfair from said drying chamber.

fi 3;- llln a *'drier, the combination with a Lhousing having va drying chamber, of tray supporting tracks arranged therein in superimposed series, a plurality of trays adapted to be removably supported 'in said drying -izhamber by said supporting tracks, each tray being adapted to be moved progressive- `ly in'said tracks through said drying chamberandliaving an apertured bottom wall lto permit the circulation of air therethrough, =and means carried bytheendsof each tray forfspacing'the ends of the adjoining trays.

4. A drier comprising a drying compartment, a heatingv compartment.arranged be# .low oneend of said drying chamber and communicating therewith, heating` means arsranged in the bottom of isaid heating com- -partment, a `plurality 4of trays removably arrangedin said .drying compartment in spaced relation with each other and adapted to be moved in successive stages therethrough, and a chamber communicating with the lowerportion of said drying compartment and;opening into the lower por- 't-ionof said heating compartment for recirculating the heated air by the self-induced draft. A

, 5. Afdrier comprising a drying compartment, a heatingcompartment arranged below said drying compartment and .having its upper end openingY thereinto, heating means arranged in the bottom of said heating compartment, a plurality of trays removably arranged in said drying compartment in spaced relation with each other and adapted to be moved in successive. stages therethrough, a baiiie wall in said heating compartment extending upwardly above the floor level of the drying compartment and having its lower end terminating short of the bottom of said heating compartment and forming a passage for conveying the chilled air from said drying compartment to the lower portion of said heating compartment,

`and yadjustable rmeansior discharging -a portion of: the used air- 'from said .passage `and admitting Vthereinto fresh air.

.l V6. f.Adrier comprising ai drying compartment, a Vheating compartment arranged be- -low .one end ofsaid drying compartment and communicating therewith, .heating `means ai'- ranged in said heating compartment below thev floor level of said drying compartment, a plurality of'trays removably arranged in said dryingcompartment in spaced relation with each otherl and adapted to be moved in successive stages therethrough, a return air` compartment communicating at its up per end with the lower portion of said .dry-

ing compartment and having its-lower end opening .finto said heating compartment, .and

means =in said return yair compartment for regulating .the discharge of rthe air trom said drying chamber after its completion. 0i travel therethrough.

- T. A .drier having a. drying chamber and a heating chamber located belowsaid drying .chamber and in communication therewith,

aV series of horizontally disposed runways arranged in said dryingchamber and adapted to receive suitable material containers, the uppermost runways being spaced a suitable distance rom the top .of said drying chamber to permit hot air tobe banked and mixed therein before coming in contact with the material to be dried, and a battle wall in said heating chamber having. its uppeirend terminating above the level of `the floor of said! .drying chamber and its lower end terminating shortof the bottom of said vheating chamber for conveying the chilled air Jtrom the lower portion ot said drying chainber to the lower portion of said ,heating chamber, thereby inducing ,the circulation .of air throughsaid drying chamber bythe `thermal condition of the air.

8. Ay drier comprising a drying chamber and a heatingv chamber, the. latter. being located. below and in communication with one end of. the iirst chamber, longitudinally disposed tray supporting members arrangedin superimposed Yseries in said drying chainber, there being a. space provided in the .upper portion of said drying chamberabove the uppermost.. series ot said supporting .members for maintaining a. supply of hot end ot the .tiret chamber7 longitudinally disposed tray Supporting members arranged in superimposed series in said drying chamber, there being a Space provided in the upper portion of aaid drying:r chamber above the upper-moet series of Said supporting" inembers itfor niaintaining a supply of hot air in sa id space to be mixed and tempered So as to be oit eubntantially nnitorm temperature when comiire` in contact with the material to be dried, a return air chamber arranged adjacent to said heating chamber' and having its upper end communicating with the lower portion ot' i@aid drying,Y chamber and its lower end openin` into said heating chainber and inducing circulation of air through said drier, and a closure member in the outer wall olf Said return air chamber lor controllin` the discharge ot the return air tf1-om Said chamber.

lt). In a driert the combination of a dry ing compi rtment, adapted to receive a series ot anperimpoeed spaced layera o'l material to be dried, there being` an air space pro vided in said compartment above the uppermost layer ot material t'or maintaining a bank of hot air therein whereby said hot air is mixed and tempered to uniform temperature throughout Said drying compartment before descending through the layer-a o1 material, a heatingl compariment arranged below Said drying compartment and com munieating with one end thereof, a partitionwall arranged in said heatingl compartment and providing` a return air compartmeut, the upper end ot' which communicute@l with the lower portion ot' lsaid drying compartment and ita lower end opene` into said heating:|` com[nntment, thereby conveying the chilled air from the lower portion of said drying` conipartment to the lower portion ot Said heatingl comparimenti.

.1.l. ln a drier, the combination ol a dryingl co1apartment havin'c;I intake and dieu charge openings Formed in its respective end walls, traelta horizont-.illy arranged in said dryingl compartment, trays slidably supported on Said tracks and adapted to be moved progrzi lnively through said coiapartment by insertiirrjr l'reah tray4 ther-cinto through the intake openings thereby displacing and diselan-ging` a tray adjacent; to the respective discharge opening, and a heatinici compartment harinl communication with the upper and lower portions o said drying compartment Yfor circulatinicr hot air therethrough by virtue oit the eelt-induced draft created by the arrangement of said compartments.

in a drier, the combination with a drying; compartment adapted to have hot air circulated theretln'ough, tray supportingl members disposed in said. con'ipartment, trays Supported by said members7 and a heating compartment arranged below the level oi said dryingl compartment and having its upper and lower portions connnunif eatingl with the respective portions of #Laid drying chamber, the nppermoat tray being;r spaced a Suitable distance trom the top olf said dryingv compartment to provide a dietiriluitingl patinage above said trays `tor re ceinin)r and mixinp` the hot air before it is brought into contact: with the material contained in said trays,

In a drier, a material dryii'rg,` coinpartment, a heating` compartment located below Said dryingl comlrnirtment, and a drying.; tinid passage extendingl into Said drying` compartment .trom said heatingv compartment` said dryinibr tluid paasage being ol" rentricted creeis rectional area and Said dry ingr compartment being or' relatively .large cross `sectional area and provided with sutticient spacel between its top and the material to be dried [o permit all ol' the drying; ljluid to be distributed over the lmriaontal snrtace oll aaid material before aaid llnid caused to descend in Said compartment.

l-l-. ln a, drier, a horizontally dispoeed drying; com|vntrtment adapted to receive niaterial to be dried, a 'luid heating; compartmenty arranged below and to one end olf said drying compartment, a drying t'luid onpply patinage extending upwardly and at right anglers to Said drying compartment and com-- municating therewith, said supply paseage being of smaller cross Sectional area relative to said drylne compartment, thereby permiti-iup` the distribution of the drying l'luid in horizontal plane beilore said tluid iscauaed, to descend by the thermal conditions prevulling in Said compartment, and a [luid paeaage leading Al'rom the lower portion ot? Said drying compartment l'or conveying away laaid dryingI l'luid.

ln testinumy wherco'lvl `l hereunto alix my Signature this tiret day ot" Novemluir-v i922.

Utl 

